Roger Williams, The Bloody Tenent, Of Persecution for Cause of Conscience

1644Stokes 1:196--97, 198, 199

All civil states with their officers of justice, in their respective
constitutions and administrations, are . . . essentially
civil, and therefore not judges, governors, or defenders of
the Spiritual, or Christian, State and worship. . . . It is the
will and command of God that, since the coming of His
Son, the Lord Jesus, a permission of the most Paganish,
Jewish, Turkish or anti-Christian consciences and worship
be granted to all men, in all nations and countries; and
they are only to be fought against with that sword which
is only, in Soul matters able to conquer, to wit; the sword
of the Spirit--the Word of God. . . . God requireth not
an uniformity of religion to be enacted and enforced in
any civil state; which enforced uniformity, sooner or later,
is the greatest occasion of civil war, ravishing consciences,
persecution of Christ Jesus in His servants, and of the hypocrisy
and destruction of millions of souls. . . . An enforced
uniformity of religion throughout a nation or civil
state confounds the civil and religious, denies the principles
of Christianity and civility, and that Jesus Christ is
come in the flesh.

. . . . .

The Church or company of worshippers (whether true or
false) is like unto a . . . Corporation, Society or Company . . .
in London; which Companies may hold their Courts, keep
their Records, hold disputations; and in matters concerning
their Societie, may dissent, divide, breake into Schismes
and Factions, sue and implead each other at the Law, yea
wholly breake up and dissolve into pieces and nothing,
and yet the peace of the Citie not be in the least measure
impaired or disturbed; because the essence or being of the
Citie, and so the well-being and peace thereof is essentially
distinct from those particular Societies; the Citie-Courts,
Citie-Lawes, Citie-punishments distinct from theirs. The Citie
was before them, and stands absolute and intire, when
such a Corporation or Societie is taken down.

. . . . .

Summary

First, That the blood of so many hundred thousand
soules of Protestants and Papists, split in the Wars of present
and former Ages, for their respective Consciences, is not required
nor accepted by Jesus Christ the Prince of Peace.

Secondly, Pregnant Scriptures and Arguments are
throughout the Worke proposed against the Doctrine of
persecution for the cause of Conscience.

Thirdly, Satisfactorie Answers are given to Scriptures, and
objections produced by Mr. Calvin, Beza, Mr. Cotton, and
the Ministers of the New English Churches and others former
and later, tending to prove the Doctrine of persecution
for cause of Conscience.

Fourthly, The Doctrine of persecution for cause of Conscience,
is proved guilty of all the blood of the Soules crying
for vengeance under the Altar.

Fifthly, All Civill States with their Officers of justice in
their respective constitutions and administrations are proved
essentially Civill, and therefore not Judges, Governours or
Defendours of the Spirituall or Christian State and Worship.

Sixthly, It is the will and command of God, that (since
the comming of his Sonne the Lord Jesus) a permission of
the most Paganish, Jewish, Turkish, or Antichristian consciences
and worships, bee granted to all men in all Nations
and Countries: and they are onely to bee fought against with
that Sword which is only (in Soule matters) able to conquer,
to wit, the Sword of Gods Spirit, the Word of God.

Seventhly, The State of the Land of Israel, the Kings and
people thereof in Peace & War, is proved figurative and ceremoniall,
and no patterne nor president for any Kingdome or
civill State in the world to follow.

Eighthly, God requireth not an uniformity of Religion to
be inacted and inforced in any civill State; which inforced
uniformity (sooner or later) is the greatest occasion of civill
Warre, ravishing of conscience, persecution of Christ Jesus in
his servants, and of the hypocrisie and destruction of millions
of souls.

Ninthly, In holding an inforced uniformity of Religion in
a civill state, wee must necessarily disclaime our desires and
hopes of the Jewes conversion to Christ.

Tenthly, An inforced uniformity of Religion throughout a
Nation or civill State, confounds the Civill and Religious,
denies the principles of Christianity and civility, and that
Jesus Christ is come in the Flesh.

Eleventhly, The permission of other consciences and worships
then a state professeth, only can (according to God)
procure a firme and lasting peace, (good assurance being
taken according to the wisedome of the civill State for uniformity
of civill obedience from all sorts.)

Twelfthly, lastly, true civility and Christianity may both
flourish in a state or Kingdome, notwithstanding the permission
of divers and contrary consciences, either of Jew or
Gentile.